Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $714 in Nouakchott versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Nouakchott versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in Nouakchott versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Nouakchott costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nouakchott is 48% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 MRU 98.2

$12.11 MX$206

-79.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 MRU 970

$52.2 MX$887

-53.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 MRU 240

$10.90 MX$185

-44.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MRU 68.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MRU 71.7

Cappuccino

$2.30 MRU 92.2

$4.05 MX$68.8

-43.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 MRU 69.2

$1.72 MX$29.13

0.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.6

$1.38 MX$23.40

55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MRU 62.3

$1.85 MX$31.48

-15.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 MRU 10.40

$3.22 MX$54.7

-91.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MRU 53.2

$2.09 MX$35.42

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.28 MRU 91.3

$2.91 MX$49.41

-21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 MRU 234

$12.49 MX$212

-53.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MRU 220

$10.11 MX$172

-45.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 MRU 288

$15.89 MX$270

-54.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MRU 118

$3.31 MX$56.3

-10.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MRU 70.9

$2.13 MX$36.12

-16.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$2.19 MX$37.20

-34.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MRU 35.16

$2.45 MX$41.57

-64.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MRU 33.43

$2.19 MX$37.18

-62.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MRU 34.80

$1.90 MX$32.35

-54.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MRU 30.08

$1.62 MX$27.44

-53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MRU 23.22

$1.35 MX$22.92

-57.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.89 MRU 396

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MRU 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MRU 68.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 MRU 97.8

$5.43 MX$92.1

-55.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MRU 18.43

$0.34 MX$5.77

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.26 MRU 891

$21.58 MX$366

3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.76

$2.04 MX$34.65

-58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MRU 15.67

$0.58 MX$9.82

-32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 MRU 143

$5.97 MX$101

-40.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MRU 59.3

$1.62 MX$27.44

-8.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$7,545 MRU 302.1K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-66.93%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$9,157 MRU 366.6K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-65.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 MRU 5,214

$65.2 MX$1,108

99.60%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.79 MRU 873

$29.87 MX$507

-27.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 MRU 2,389

$36.55 MX$621

63.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MRU 1,208

$61.0 MX$1,036

-50.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$253 MRU 10.1K

$26.70 MX$453

846.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MRU 160

$6.85 MX$116

-41.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$446 MRU 17.9K

$453 MX$7,700

-1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,441 MRU 297.9K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-44.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.17 MRU 888

$75.0 MX$1,273

-70.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.53 MRU 902

$55.3 MX$939

-59.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 MRU 2,711

$114 MX$1,929

-40.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 MRU 1,667

$123 MX$2,083

-66.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 MRU 8,675

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-80.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MRU 6,103

$712 MX$12.1K

-78.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 MRU 29.5K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MRU 11.5K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-78.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,578 MRU 263.4K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

64.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,977 MRU 119.2K

$2,095 MX$35.6K

42.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$560 MRU 22.4K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-46.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

76.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nouakchott: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Nouakchott and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 87% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Nouakchott vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $345 per month, with Nouakchott cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Nouakchott vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nouakchott and Mexico City differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($714 vs $1,646 including rent). Nouakchott is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 87% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $217 in Nouakchott versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nouakchott runs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $446 in Nouakchott versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $714 in Nouakchott versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nouakchott but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nouakchott the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Nouakchott gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.